What’s at Stake?

Yesterday at the gym, a blowhard with a booming voice ambled over to a couple who were on a pair of leg machines. I was nearby and groaned inwardly. I had heard this guy’s rants before, when he was touting Newt Gingrich. “One more day,” he said, throwing his arm out at his sides. “And then it’s paradise.”

(DON’T MISS THE UPDATE AT THE END OF THE POST FOR AN INCREDIBLE SYNCHRO!)

“You bet,” said the woman, nodding.

“Good-bye, Obama,” blowhard laughed.

The woman’s husband grinned, then said, “But suppose Romney loses?”

Blowhard said, “I’ll be on the first plane to Brazil.”

Great, I thought, getting up quickly so I wouldn’t blurt anything.

But in this community, I suspect the majority of residents feel like blowhard do.

Every election in the U.S. is called “the most important election of our lifetimes.”  So is that true about today’s election? Let’s look at what’s at stake. But first, click here for a list of Obama’s accomplishments in just four years, in spite of an intractable Congress.

Health care, Taxes, social safety net programs

Romney has vowed to get rid of ObamaCare his first day in office. This means we would revert to the way things had been for years:

–       that insurance companies could deny you coverage based on a pre-existing condition

–       that children 26 and under wouldn’t be covered under their parents’ health care plans

–        that health care screenings for cancer, mammograms, would once again cost you  an arm and a leg

–       Reverse Roe v Wade, without any exception for rape and incest. Any woman who obtains an abortion or any physician who performs one would be committing a felony

–       Would confer personhood upon a fertilized egg

–       Allow employers to decide whether contraception can be included in health care plans

–       Get rid of Planned Parenthood, which provides health care for millions of women at nominal fees

–     Turn Medicare into a voucher system

Under Romney, the Bush era tax cuts would continue, with the rich paying less in many cases than the middle class and the poor.  Romney – a zillionaire –  paid less than 15 percent taxes in the last two years. We don’t know about the other years because he refused to release more than two years of his returns.

Under Romney and Ryan, Social Security would be privatized. Can you imagine the repercussions of that one in the financial meltdown of 2008?

Under Romney/Ryan, a program like Medicaid – health care for the poor – would be turned over to the states, which are already struggling with budget shortfalls. You’re poor and sick? Elderly and sick? Sorry, go to the emergency room.

So, shrink the middle class until it strangles and dies so that we are left with the very rich and the indentured servants. Isn’t this kind of system what the American Revolution was about?

War and the Pentagon

During the Republican primary, Romney mentioned Russia (the Cold War ended decades ago, but he doesn’t seem to know that), China, Iran, Pakistan, and Iraq and Afghanistan. Sabre rattling with all those countries? Really? More war? Endless war?

Obama essentially ended the war in Iraq and promises withdrawal from Afghanistan by 2014.  I don’t understand why we can’t get out now, but even 2014 is better than the no-end-in-sight that Romney would put forth.

Romney, whose two dozen advisors include 19 from George W. Bush’s cadre of advisors, would pour millions into the Pentagon budget that the Pentagon hasn’t even requested.

FEMA

The Federal Emergency Management Administration is the government entity that sweeps in after national disasters and helps people put their lives back together. Under Bush, FEMA was as severe a disaster as the disasters themselves. It was headed by the infamous Michael Brown, whose handling of the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina was viewed as completely incompetent, even though at a photo op Bush told him, “You’re doing a heckuva job, Brownie.” He resigned in disgrace after he was widely criticized for NOT handling the relief efforts.

Romney wants to abolish FEMA. Leave it up to the states. Can you imagine New Jersey, for instance, have to deal with the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy without federal help?

Under Obama, FEMA is headed by Craig Fugate, a man who actually knows something about emergency management. He’s a Florida guy who was emergency manager for Alachua County for ten years, then Bureau Chief for Preparedness and Response for Florida Divisions of Emergency Management from 1997-2001. Between 2001 and 2009, Fugate was Director of the Florida Division of Emergency Management. All of this means he understands what’s going on.

The Supreme Court

During the next four years, the president will have an opportunity to appoint one, two, maybe even three   supreme court justices. Given the anti-woman stance of Romney/Ryan, this is a terrifying possibility.  Think of it: one or two more Scalias (Opus Dei folks) or another Clarence Thomas who could be on the supreme court for decades. Roe v Wade would  undoubtedly be overturned. As Obama put it during one of the debates, Romney’s social platform for the country is straight out of the 1950s.

Then there’s education, unions, fire fighters, police: bust all the unions, privatize schools and all services to local communities.

So, what’s at stake is nothing less than two paradigms – the old (Romney) and the new (Obama).  The old paradigm (war, greed, every man for himself) is not going out with a whimper, but is using its familiar tricks to suppress votes, intimidate voters, shorten early voting, purge voter roles, changing voter laws in terms of I.D. There’s was a short news piece about how in some heavily leaning Democratic counties in Ohio, a Romney-affiliated company owns the voting machines. And, of course, ever since the supreme court declared that corporations are people, untold millions have been bundled into super-pacs and gone straight into Republican coffers.

So today, if there’s a decisive victory,  we’ll see exactly what’s inside the American psyche.

UPDATE

This is incredible. I just got back from voting. Typical Palm Beach County election snafu to start out the day. But also an outrageous synchronicity.

This post starts with Trish complaining about the blowhard. I know that guy from the gym. He’s always walking around looking for someone who will talk politics with him. I always avoid him, especially after I heard him saying months ago that he wanted Newt Gingrich as the GOP candidate. Yuck!

So when I get to the end of the long line, who is directly in front of me – Mr. Blowhard! Fortunately, Trish had already voted or there would’ve been trouble! I had a copy of Rolling Stone Magazine with me and kept my head down reading: “Mitt Romney & the Ghosts of Mormon History.” Meanwhile, Blowhard is looking around for someone to talk to, moving from one foot to the other. He’s got a black couple in front of him and me behind him reading about Mitt’s heritage.

Half an hour goes by that way. Then an election official comes out and asks who is from precinct 6140. It turns out Blowhard is, and so am I. The official tells us we’re at the wrong place, but he doesn’t know where we’re supposed to go. He walks off after telling us he’ll be back. So I’m thinking ‘what else is new.’ This is Palm Beach County after all where the 2000 election was flipped to Bush by the hanging chad fiasco.

Now Blowhard and I are in the same boat and talking to each other, wondering what’s going on. He says this is a very important election, but fortunately he stops there. The official returns a few minutes later and tells us to go to Wellington High School to vote. So we leave. But I don’t want to stand in line behind him again so I go home and have a cup of coffee, then ride my bike to the nearby high school. There’s no line at all. Blowhard has already come and gone. I’m in and out in five minutes.

As I ride home, I can’t help thinking the reason the place is so empty is because voters are heading to the community center and the long line.